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Scottish lecturers and students strike

Lecturers and students are protesting against cuts to college funding outside the Scottish Parliament.
Funding for colleges was reduced by 10% in 2011/12, with a further 10% cut in the budget for 2012/13.

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Lecturers and students are protesting at Holyrood against cuts to college funding.

College funding was reduced by 10% in last year, with a further 10% cut in the budget for this year.

The EIS says the cuts have resulted in the loss of more than 1,800 college staff jobs in the last year.

"Further education is vital to Scotland, and essential to the country's economic recovery.

This rally and petition hand-over will emphasise the importance of Scotland's Further Education sector, and highlight the damaging impact of the continuing deep cuts to college funding.

I would urge lecturers, students and others to turn out to show their strong support for Scottish further education."

– Larry Flanagan, General secretary EIS Union

A Scottish Government spokesman said:

"The college sector will benefit from an overall increase in resource this year.

In addition to resource funding of £506.9 million for 2012-13 set out in the last spending review, we are also investing an additional £40 million including £13 million in college provision through Skills Development Scotland, £15 million for the 'college transformation fund' and an additional £11.4 million for student support."